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To get the new berry planting off with a good vigorous growth and early
runner formation, many growers apply from 500 to 800 pounds per acre of a complete,
iigh grade fertilizer, drilled or broadcast just ahead of or soon after planting then
luring january or February broadcast an additional 500 to 1000 pounds of 20%
»uperphosphate directly on top of the mulch,
During late April and early May the strawberry plant produces masses of
ender white rootlets at or near the ground level and which seem to "grab" this
uperphosphate that has washed through the straw mulch and remains on top of the
oil, Although the strawberry is not considered a grain crop, we must rernember
hat there are hundreds of seeds on the surface of a strawberry, thus, it is a grain
l ¤r seed crop. We should also consider the fact that a strawberry changes from a
j eedy mass l/4 inch in diameter to a plump, ripe berry (probably one inch or more
in diameter) all within three to five days' time, and in order to make a large berry,
roperly developed and of a uniform texture, an abundance of quick acting phosphate
fertilizer is needed,
i In jefferson County in 1948, where 500 pounds of superphosphate per acre
was broadcast in February, on the matted row, we received an increase of 50
V crates per acre, and where 1000 pounds per acre was broadcast it increased the
. yield 100 crates per acre,